The consistence of spine flexibility in trunk forward flexion is presented in Pa
per II and Paper III. Mean values and SD of spine flexion, hip flexion and trunk forward flexion measured by gravity goniometer and sit-and-reach tests scores in university male (n=24) and female (n=15) students from the faculty of physi
cal education are presented in Table 3. These variables of schoolchildren (n=155) are presented in Table 4, 5.
Table 3 Mean values and SD of spine flexion, hip flexion and
trunk forward flexion in university students*
Movement All subjects Male Female
(n=39) (n=24) (n=15)
Standing position
Hip flexion 83.8±14.2 81.0113.6 88.1114.5
Forward flexion 137.0±13.5 137.1115.0 136.9111.0
Spine flexion 53.3±15.6 56.1116.6 48.8113.0
Sitting position
Hip flexion 35.3±10.8 32.3110.8 39.91 9.4
Forward flexion 58.3115.7 58.4113.3 58.2113.0
Spine flexion 24.4110.0 25.8110.9 22.21 8.2
Supine position
Hip flexion 106.7114.6 100.7113.5 116.3110.9
Stand-and-reach 13.216.8 12.517.5 14.415.6
Sit-and-reach 14.517.6 13.918.3 15.316.7
* Numbers are mean and standard deviation and are degrees except for stand-and-reach, sit-and-stand-and-reach, which are in cm.
To compare the hip flexion and trunk forward flexion in the standing position with that in the sitting position, the configuration of two body segments (the trunk and lower extremities) must be taken into account. The ROM in the hip joint and trunk flexion is higher in sitting position than in the standing among all observed groups. Similar results were obtained from the linear measurement of stand-and-reach and sit-and-reach tests in students of the faculty of the physical education. However, the hip ROM and spine ROM percent contribu
tion to trunk forward flexion were approximately 60% and 40%, respectively, in both positions. The calculation of the percent contribution of the hip and spine ROM to the total trunk forward flexion in the standing and in sitting po
sition for all children and adults showed that approximately 60% belongs to the hip joint ROM and 40% to the spine ROM.
Table 4 Sample means, standard deviations, 0.95 confidence-intervals (CI)
for the girls' groups and differences by the Mann-Whitney U-test procedure gymnasts girls 8-9 yr. girlsl3—14 yr. girls 8-9 yr.
(n=30) (n=27) (n=29)
X±SD X+SD X±SD
CI CI CI
Standing position
Hip flexion 77.2°±15.7 86.1°±18.6** 92.6°±17.6*
71.3-83.1 78.8-93.5 85.9- 99.2
Forward flexion 128.4°±12.4 137.6°±17.2 148.4°±12.2*
123.8-133.0 130.7-144.4 143.8-153.0
Spine flexion 51.2°±11.8 51.5°±15.9 56.0°±17.1
46.8-55.6 45.2-57.8 49.5- 62.5
Sitting position
Hip flexion 22.4°±8.7 21.9°±11.9 44.4°+10.9*
19.2-25.7 17.1-26.6 40.3-48.6
Forward flexion 54.2°±13.6 52.0°±14.2 74.6°±11.4*
49.2-59.3 46.4-57.6 70.2-78.9
Spine flexion 31.8°±12.9 30.2°±12.7 30.1°± 8.9
27.0-36.6 25.2-35.2 26.8-33.5
Sit-and-reach (cm) 10.3±4.8 10.5±4.7 15.3°±3.6*
8.5-12.1 8.7-12.4 13.9-16.6
* denotes the differences between untrained and trained groups at age of 8-9 yr.
** denotes the differences between the groups at age of 8-9 yr and 13-14 yr.
Table 5 Sample means, standard deviations, 0.95 confidence-intervals (CI)
for the boys' groups and differences by the Mann-Whitney U-test procedure
boys 8-9 yr. boys 13-14 yr.
(n=32) (n=37)
X±SD X+SD
CI CI
Standing position
hip flexion 72.7°±20.7 80.1°±15.2
65.2-80.1 75.0- 85.2
total trunk flexion 121.7°±16.5** 125.4°±16.2**
115.8-127.7 120.0-130.8
spine flexion 49.1°+21.1 45.3°±17.1
41.4-56.7 39.6-51.0
Sitting position
hip flexion 18.4°±6.8 26.5°±10.3*
16.0-20.9 23.0-29.9
total trunk flexion 43.6°±9.9** 54.5°±13.3*
40.0-47.2 50.0-58.9
spine flexion 25.2°±8.9** 30.0°±13.4
21.9-28.4 23.5-32.5
Sit-and-reach (cm) 7.0±2.8** 5.2±5.3**
6.1-8.0 3.4-7.0*
* denotes the differences between two groups,
** denotes the differences between the boys and girls groups at the according age (data for girls groups are presented in Table 3).
The estimated means of spine flexion by Z values at 95% levels of confidence in the groups of girls and boys at the age of 8-9 and 13-14 were similar. In standing position these values ranged from 40° to 63° and in sitting position from 22° to 27°.
The coefficients of correlation between the linear and goniometer test scores in standing and in sitting position are presented in Figure 7. (correlation matrix in Table 2, Paper II).
Sitting position
.66 (pcO.Ol)
.55 (pcO.Ol)
.56 (p<0.01)
.35 (p<0.05) Hip ROM
Sit-and-reach test Trunk forward flexion
Hip ROM in supine position
Standing position
.69 (pcO.Ol)
.55 (pcO.Ol)
.43 (pcO.Ol) .33 (pc0.05)
Hip ROM
Trunk forward flexion
Stand-and-reach test Hip ROM
in supine position
Figure 7. The coefficients of correlation between the linear and goniometer test scores in standing and in sitting position (n=39)
5.2.1. Age and gender differences in the components of trunk forward flexion
Age related significant difference was followed between girls groups at the age of 8-9 yr. and 13-14 yr. in the ROM of hip joint measured in standing position (Figure 8). For groups of boys significant differences were found in the ROM of the hip and total trunk forward flexion in sitting position, whereas spine flexion ROM difference was not significant (Figure 9) (Table I, II; Paper III).
140
1 2 0 '
c/3
100-Q QJ
6 0 «
4 0 «
20 N =
J
30 278 - 9 y r . g i r l s 1 3 - 1 4 y r .
Figure 8. Age related significant difference between girls groups at the age of 8-9 and 13-14 yr. in the ROM of hip joint measured in standing position
80
6 0 «
4 0 «
2 0 «
I I hip R O M 1 it,forward flexion
nnnispine ROM
- 2 0
N = 32 32 32 37 37 37
b o y s a t a g e o f 8 - 9 y r . b o y s a t a g e o f 1 3 - 1 4 . y r
Figure 9. Age related significant difference between boys groups at the age of 8-9 and 13-14 yr. in the flexibility measurements in sitting position
The Pearson product-moment coefficient of correlation between trunk for
ward flexion and the components of it (hip and spine flexion ROM) measured by the gravity goniometer is presented in Table HI (Paper III). The total trunk forward flexion measured in standing and sitting positions was more strongly correlated with the ROM of the spine flexion than with the ROM of the hip flexion in all groups of boys. The conversed relation was followed in all groups of girls in the standing position.
No significant difference was found between the scores of male and female groups except for the ROM of the ankle, although the group mean test score of the female group in each measure had a tendency to be higher (Table I, Pa
per II).
Gender differences appeared in the flexibility measurements of the total trunk forward flexion in both positions and the spine flexion ROM difference in sitting position for children groups at the age of 8-9 yr. (Figure 10). In the older groups sex related difference was followed only in total trunk forward flexion measured by gravity goniometer in standing position (Figure 11) and by the sit-and-reach test (Table II; Paper III).
• hip ROM
EUt.forward flexion DHU spine ROM
girls age 8-9 yr. boys
Figure 10. Gender differences in the flexibility measurements of the total trunk forward flexion in sitting position for children groups at the age of 8-9 yr
200 1 8 0 « 1 6 0 « 1 4 0 « 1 2 0 «
100-8 0 « 6 0 «
• • h i p R O M 4 0«
2 0 «
girls a g e 1 3-1 4 y r . b o y s
Figure 11. Gender differences in the flexibility measurement of the total trunk forward flexion in standing position for children groups at the age of 13-14 yr
5.2.2. Differences between untrained girls and rhythmic gymnasts at age of 8-9 years
The comparison of untrained girls and gymnasts at the same age revealed sig
nificant differences between flexibility measurements in both positions, except the ROM of spine flexion (Figures 12, 13).
The correlation coefficient of trunk forward flexion with the hip and spine ROM in sitting position for untrained and trained girls are presented in Fig
ure 14.
W 160 V 0)
lill II III •h i p R O M
t - J t .f o r w a r d f l e x i o n U l l i l l s p i n s R O M
1 2
1 = u n t r a i n e d g i r l s a g e 8 - 9 y r . 2 = r h y t m i c g y m n a s t s
Figure 12. Flexibility measurements of untrained and trained girls in standing position
V) <u
i_ CD O) <D
~o
100
CD hip ROM E3t.forward flexion
-20, spine ROM
1 = untrained girls age 8-9 yr. 2= rhythmic gymnasts
Figure 13. Flexibility measurements of untrained and trained girls in sitting position